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Manual Airspace Definitions

The Sector File Generator, in addition to automatically importing CTR/CTA/OCA airspace definitions, can also store and export manual airspace definitions. This is incredibly handy for having different Enroute Sectors export definitions for vatSpy versus vatSys, for example.

Database Overview

Draw definitions follow the standard NZ eAIP method of drawing airspace, as used in the ANR.

All airspace definitions are stored in the airspace table of the database. The important columns are -

  • id - Automatically generated on import.
  • ident - The identifier of that airspace. This is explained below.
  • VSName, Comment - Contains the name of the airspace.
  • Type - Airspace Type. This is explained below.
  • ExportID - Dictates which product this airspace is exported to. This is explained below.

Unique Airspace Identifiers

All airspace imported into the database must have a unique ident. Airspace imported from the ANR will have their airspace designator set as the ident, so should be unique by default.

It is best practice to have the Sector set as the ident, as it is easily distinguishable, without having to manually test it. Imported airspace identifiers must fit the following criteria -

  • Enroute: NXXX, with an optional _X or -X where X can be alphanumeric.
  • Manual FIR: NXXX, with an optional _X or -X where X can be alphanumeric.
  • TMA: NZTnnn, with an optional _X or -X where X can be alphanumeric.
    • where nnn is a unique sequence number.

Airspace Types

There are a handful of different airspace types in the database. The CFZ, MBZ, CTA, CTR, FIR, Military, Danger and Restricted areas are automatically labelled by the ANR import process.

The only user configurable airspace types are ENR, MFIR and TMA.

Airspace imported as ENR, MFIR or TMA will be exported to the dataset in line with the ExportID. The ENR type will be exported as an Enroute map, MFIR as a FIR map, and TMA as a TMA map.

Export IDs

The SFG is capable of storing multiple unique airspace definitions, and exporting them to multiple differing platforms. This is achieved through the ExportID column.

Each piece of airspace is tagged with one of the following ExportID, dictating which products it is exported to -

  • NZZC - Exported to both vatSys/ES and vatSpy
  • VSPY - Exported only to vatSpy
  • VSYS - Exported only to vatSys/ES
  • NZZCVSYS - Exported only to the NZZC vatSys/ES release
  • NZZO - Exported to the Oceanic profile and vatSpy
  • NZZOVSYS - Exported only to the Oceanic vatSys profile
  • NZZCNZZO - Exported to both vatSys/ES profiles, and to vatSpy.

Airspace imported from the NZ ANR are automatically labelled with the NZZC ExportID. If an export ID isn't provided in the Import Limits Line, it is imported as NZZC.

Format Overview

Each file has a header line defining the type of airspace, before a name and limits line. The header line will be covered in the examples, as they're self explanatory.

Limits Line

The Name and Limits Line defines how this is represented in the database.

Limits Line
[Ident] [Type] [Airspace Class] [UpperLimit] [LowerLimit] [Optional Export Tag]

For example - 
NZCT Taranaki Only ENR C 99900 FT 0 FT VSYS
NZCT-A Taranaki with Ohakea ENR C 99900 FT 0 FT VSPY
NTTT Tahiti Oceanic FIR FIR 999 FL
NSFA Faleolo FIR FIR 999 FL
  • Ident - As referenced in the Unique Airspace Identifiers section.
  • Type - TMA, ENR or MFIR.
  • Airspace Class - A, C or D.
  • UpperLimit - Upper Limit in either FT or FL. EG 0 FT, 3500 FT, 130 FL. MFIR only has an upper limit.
  • LowerLimit - Lower Limit. As above.
  • Export Tag - As above.

Boundary Lines

Boundary Lines are defined immediately after the Name and Limits line.

Boundary Lines
[Ident] [SequenceNum] [Lattitude] [Longitude] [LineType] [ArcDef]

For example -
NZT001 5 403753.80S 1745231.60E GRC
NZT001 6 394745.20S 1744603.20E CWA 401234.58S 1752331.05E 38.00 NM
  • Ident - Must match the ident used in the Name and Limits Line.
  • SequenceNum - A unique line identifier. Starts at 0.
  • Lattitude - Lattitude in eAIP format.
  • Longitude - Longitude in eAIP format.
  • LineType - Either GRC, CCA, CIR, CWA, RHL or FNT.
  • ArcDef - As needed to define an arc or circle.

Examples

Here are some examples that are currently in our database.

Taranaki Sector (for vatSpy only)
EnRoute Airspace (ENR)
NZCT-A Taranaki with OH ENR C 99900 FT 0 FT VSPY
NZCT-A 0 390738.100S 1713321.701E GRC
NZCT-A 1 390026.071S 1741102.159E GRC
NZCT-A 2 391349.109S 1745455.602E GRC
...
NZCT-A 20 413400.000S 1701435.005E GRC
NZCT-A 21 412527.005S 1702324.000E CWA 412013.600S 1744902.000E 200 NM // WN VOR
NZCT-A 22 390738.100S 1713321.701E GRC

Multiple in one?!

You can import multiple pieces of airspace in the same file, just by defining additional Name and Limits!

NZZO for vatSpy
Manual Flight Information Regions (MFIR)
NZZO-A Auckland Oceanic FIR FIR 999 FL VSPY
NZZO-B Auckland Oceanic FIR FIR 999 FL VSPY
NZZO-A 0 300000.00S 1310000.00W GRC
NZZO-A 1 600000.00S 1310000.00W GRC
NZZO-A 2 600000.00S 1800000.00W GRC
NZZO-A 3 250000.00S 1800000.00W GRC
NZZO-A 4 135508.00S 1750623.00W GRC
NZZO-A 5 050000.00S 1711000.00W GRC
NZZO-A 6 050000.00S 1570000.00W GRC
NZZO-A 7 300000.00S 1570000.00W GRC
NZZO-B 0 280000.00S 1680000.00E GRC
NZZO-B 1 250000.00S 1712500.00E GRC
NZZO-B 2 250000.00S 1800000.00E GRC
NZZO-B 3 600000.00S 1800000.00E GRC
NZZO-B 4 600000.00S 1630000.00E GRC
NZZO-B 5 450000.00S 1630000.00E GRC
NZZO-B 6 300000.00S 1630000.00E GRC

TMA

TMAs follow much the same import format, with a few changes -

  • NZTnnn must be the Ident, in order to conform with the AIP.
  • MyIdent:Terminal Name must be used as the Name.

Warning

NZTnnn is only used during the import process to define the sequence, and NZTnnn is not imported at the Ident in the database. MyIdent should be set as the Ident you wish to be the Ident in the database, with Terminal Name being the name of the TMA.

TMA Import
Terminal Airspace (TMA)
NZT001 NZOH:Ohakea Approach TMA C 0 FT 0 FT
NZT001 0 451213.40S 1681524.00E GRC
...
NZT001 5 451213.40S 1681524.00E GRC

Importing Airspace

Airspace can be imported to the database by heading into the 'DB Update' screen, clicking on 'Import eAIP Airspace`, and navigating to your file. You'll get an alert when the changes have been made.

Likewise, you can also convert your eAIP definitions using the Airspace Converter utility.

Deleting Airspace

It couldn't be easier! You just need a file containing the following:

Delete Airspace
For MFIRs:
  Manual Flight Information Regions (MFIR)
  NZDelete [Ident] FIR [UpperLimit] [ExportID]

For ENR: 
  EnRoute Airspace (ENR)
  NZDelete [Ident] ENR [AirspaceClass] [UpperLimit] [LowerLimit] [ExportID]

For TMA:
  Terminal Airspace (TMA)
  NZDelete [Ident] TMA [AirspaceClass] [UpperLimit] [LowerLimit]

Importing and Delete in the same file

Follow this example!

EnRoute Airspace (ENR)
NZDelete NZOH ENR C 99900 FT 0 FT VSPY
NZOZ Ohakea(Test) ENR C 99900 FT 0 FT VSPY

NZOZ 0 395040.898S 1782455.300E GRC
NZOZ 1 390908.000S 1774518.799E GRC
...
NZOZ 19 404502.509S 1752411.023E GRC

Merging Airspace

I'll write this soon.

Last update: July 7, 2023